Drain trap



C. V. DAME April 1,2, w38..

DRAIN TRAP Filed July 17, 1937 Patented Apr., 12, 1938 entren stares PATENT @.iFliC 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in drain traps.

One object of the invention is to provide a drain trap having fluid retaining portions so 5 shaped or so expansible or exible as to prevent cracking in case of freezing of the trapping uid therein,

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved trap which can be installed concentrically in a drain line whereby the trap without disassembly can be freed of accumulated deposits by means of a suitable rotary tool cf the type disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2,674,-

462, granted March 23, 1937.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trap having a relatively great fluid holding capacity which provides adequate trapping or sealing action during protracted periods of non-use of the drain system with which the same is installed.

Other objects and advantages of the present improvements Vwill be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which:

., Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a drain trap embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a broken top plan View of the drain trap; and- Fig. 3 is a broken perspective View of a flexible C supporting means for a water retaining receptacle forming a portion of the trapping means.

In the drawing, lli is an outer casing which may be of reduced diameter at its lower end and threaded as at il for connection in a drain line. The upper end of the casing il! is provided with a cover l2 which may be threaded as at i3 to the casing and provided with a threaded nipple le within which may be screwed a nipple l5 which is carried by anv upper wallv i6 of an inverted 0 frustro-conical receptacle il. The inner wall of the nipple l5 may likewise be threaded for re ceiving an intake pipe IB of the drain line.

The wall l@ preferably is of flexible non-rusting material while the wall il is inclined at such angle that fracture or breakage of the same will not occur in case water or other fluid freezes or solidifes therein. The wall I6 may be brazed or soldered or welded as at i9 to the upper` edge of the Wall il or the two walls may be integral 50 if desired as when made of spun metal, for example. At the lower end of the receptacle ll is an outlet opening 2G which is concentric with the pipe i8.

Secured to or at the margin of the opening I8 55 is a transverse member 2l which terminates in an upstanding wall 22 which may be vertical, if desired, as shown in the drawing. The wall 22 preferably is fiuted or corrugated as shown at 23 to increase its expansibility or flexibility. The upper end of the wall 22 may have a downwardly turned flange 24 which contacts the outer surface of the receptacle ll and may be welded or soldered thereto if desired or it may be unattached.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawing, the member 2l including its upstanding wall 22 provides in cooperation with the wall il' a chamber 25 which, if desired, may be filled with suitable packing to exclude the water in the event the flange 2li is not hermetically sealed to the wall l?. This packing may be of heat insulating characteristics if desired.

Surrounding the member 2l is a cup-shaped receptacle indicated generally by the numeral 26 having a transverse bottom wall 2l and an upstanding side wall 28 which also preferably is 20 corrugated or fluted to provide for radial expansibility. The bottom wall 2l is provided with A a central elevationy or dome 29 witlun which, on the lower side thereof, is seated bowed portions E@ of a flexible cruciform member indicated generally by the numeral 3l. The member iii has arms 32 which extend radially of the casing and which may terminate in angular ends 33 which seat against the tapered wall of the lower portion of the casing l@ as shown clearly in Fig. l. The arms may likewise be provided adjacent the bowed portions El? with upwardly directed portions Sli which contact the Wall 2l for supporting the receptacle against tilting action.

it will be noted that the upstanding walls 28 of the receptacle 22E are annularly spaced from the interior of the casing lil and that the upper end of the receptacle 2t is at anl elevation lower than the wall it? and determines the level of the trapping fluid within the trap. Fluid entering the trap by means of the pipe i8 flows into the receptacle il through the opening 253 in the bottorn thereof and radially through the passage t5 formed by the spaced transverse wall of member 2l and the bottom wall 2l of receptacle 25 and may rise into the chamber 3S formed by the upstanding walls 22 and 28. When the fluid level reaches the level of the upper end of wall 2S, the iiuid will overflow through the annular chamber 3l formed between the wall 28 and the wall oi the casing El) and be discharged through the lower end of the trap into the drain system.

The wall i6, as stated, preferably is flexible so that such wall may bulge upwardly in the event pressure is exerted thereagainst by the freezing 55 fluid although the vertical distance between the wall I6 and the Water level is suflicient to preclude the exertion of pressure against the wall IE by the freezingl of water, for example, within the chamber II. Should liquid freeze in the chamber 35, the pressure exerted upon the expansion thereof will depress the flexible wall 21 due to its inherent flexibility and also due to the fact that itlrests upon the flexible member 3l. The freezing of liquid within the chamber 3G may effect inward movement of the corrugated wall 22 and radial outward movement of the corrugated wall 28, thus preventing cracking of the metal of which the parts are made. By the improved construction, it will be seen that both outward or lateral expansibility and vertical displacement of the parts are provided to prevent fracture of the iluid holding portions of the trap in case of freezing.

In assembling the trap, the cover may be screwed upon the nipple I5 which provides a unitary construction. as between the cover, the wall Il and the receptacle including the member 2l. Thereafter, the cover and supported parts may be screwed upon the casing lil, after which the pipe i8 may be screwed into the nipple l5 and the discharge pipe (not shown) may be screwed onto the threaded portion IG in connecting the trap in the drain line. Where the trap is connected in a drain line leading from a sink, for example, it may be cleaned readily of accumulated matter within the chambers 35 and 3d by means of a rotary tool inserted downwardly through the pipe I8 and provided with flexible arms of the type shown in my above mentioned patent. 'Ille arms will be deilected readily by the dome 2Q through or into the passages 35 and 36 whereupon rotation of the tool will free the walls of such accumulated matter.

While I have shown and described an embodiment of my improvements for the purpose of illustration, I do not wish to be restricted specifically thereto except as so limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A drain trap comprising an outer casing adapted to be connected in a drain line, and trapping means in said casing comprising a central receptacle having outwardly flaring side walls and means providing an annular passage open at the upper end and communicating at the lower end with said central receptacle and provided with an expansible wall.

2. A drain trap comprising an outer casing adapted to be connected in a drain line, and trapping means therein comprising a central iiuid retaining chamber and a communicating annular fluid retaining chamber provided with an outwardly expansible wall.

3. A drain trap comprising an outer casing adapted to be connected in a drain line, and trapping means in said casing, said means comprising a central chamber, an annular chamber spaced from the walls of said casing and surrounding said central chamber and providing an overflow at the upper end and a transversely disposed chamber providing communication between the lower end of said annular chamber and the lower end of said central chamber, said transversely disposed chamber having a flexible lower wall adapted to he flexed outwardly by the expanding action exerted thereon by liquid freezing within the trap.

4. A drain trap comprising a casing adapted to be connected in a drain line, a fluid retaining means in said casing comprising a longitudinally disposed chamber, a transverse chamber centrally communicating with the lower end of said 1ongitudinal chamber, and an annular up-right chamber communicating with the outer portion of said transverse chamber, said upright chamber having flexible side walls spaced from said longitudinal chamber and from said casing and providing an overflow at the upper end thereof.

5. A drain trap comprising an outer casing provided with an inlet and outlet for connection in a drain line, a central fluid chamber having outwardly flaring walls, and spaced flexible walls dening therebetween a transverse chamber communicating with the lower end of said central chamber and an annular chamber communieating with said transverse chamber and providing an overflow at the upper end thereof spaced v from said casing.

6. A drain trap comprising an outer casing having an outlet at the lower end and a removable cover provided with a fluid intake, a fluid retaining receptacle open at the upper end and positioned in said casing and spaced annularly from the inner wall thereof, a second receptacle Y open at the lower end and supported by sai-d 7. A drain trap comprising an outer casing having an outlet at the lower end and a removable cover provided with a fluid intake, a yfluid retaining receptacle open at the upper end and having an outwardly expansible side wall positioned in said casing and spaced annularly from the inner wall thereof, flexiblev means for supporting said receptacle in' said casing, and a second receptacle open at the lower end and supportedby said cover within said nrst receptacle in spaced relation with respect to the walls of the latter to provide an annular overflow chamber in the rst receptacle communicating with the lower end of said second receptacle.

8. A drain trap comprising an outer casing, a receptacle in said casing provided with readily expansible side walls, .a second receptacle positioned in said first receptacle'and communicating therewith to provide fluid retaining means, and a flexible mounting means for said first receptacle to accommodate vertical movement of the same.

CHARLES VANCE DAME. 

